The invention relates to an electrical connector for multiway connections in the electrical system of a motor vehicle.
Electrical connections between the battery and electrical accessories of a motor vehicle are made by means of male/female electrical terminals (also called "pins") carried by multiway connectors (also commonly known as blocks).
This facilitates electrical connection at the assembly stage and enables the electrical equipment of a motor vehicle to be maintained and replaced during the vehicle's lifetime.
The connection normally consists of two complementary half-connectors (male and female) which are joined together.
The problem inherent in connections of this type is the possibility that, during assembly, the operator may interconnect the two half-connectors only partially (not fully); this partial connection naturally does not show up during testing since it is able to transmit current temporarily but may cause the half-connectors to come apart later, during use of the vehicle, because of vibrations, with the consequent disconnection of the services dependent on the connectors concerned.
It has also been proposed (British patent application No. 2 169 758) to provide one half-connector with resiliently-deformable elements in order to increase the force needed for the insertion of the half-connector up to an intermediate point, called the "dead point", so as then to make use of the resulting impulse to reach the travel limit.
Even this type of connector has some disadvantages, however, again due to the possibility of only partial connection during assembly.